Japan is raising the “woody” spirits in a game-changing move that’s bound to turn heads faster than a wind-whipped forest!
In a world’s first, a Japanese lab, backed by the Japanese Forestry Agency is planning to commercialize spirits made from wood, to kindle a renewed vigor within the country’s beleaguered forestry industry.
The Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, situated in Tsukuba is at the center of the innovations to develop wood-based spirits using Japan’s cedar trees and mizunara oak.
According to the lab, each tree leads to a distinctive spirit. The Japanese cedar brings forth an earthy aroma akin to casked sake, while the mizunara oak channels the essence of whisky barrels.
But how does this enchantment come to fruition? The process initiates with the extraction of cellulose from the wood, which yields sugar glucose. This cellulose is subsequently refined into a fine powder and mixed with food enzymes and brewer’s yeast, resulting in a slurry.
Following a week-long fermentation process, the mixture transforms into a liquid boasting an alcohol content ranging from 1% to 1.5%, which is then distilled to create the final spirit.
About 2 kilos of that charismatic Japanese cedar can conjure a 750 milliliter bottle of pure woody wonder, packing a woody punch at a lofty 35% alcohol content.
And soon, tipplers can taste the woody spirits themselves as the lab plans to transfer the technology to private sectors.
